Change Your Habits for Puget Sound Starts Here Month

May is Puget Sound Starts Here Month, a time for us to celebrate our connection to Puget Sound and our local bodies of water. Volunteer projects, workshops, special events and many other activities will be happening all around the Sound throughout the month.

We all share Puget Sound and our local lakes, rivers and streams – and everything they have to offer. We ride and play in its waters, harvest its bounties and marvel at its beauty. The region is also home to countless species, including orcas, sea lions, salmon and shellfish, along with 4.5 million people.

Puget Sound needs your help

Every year, millions of pounds of toxic pollutants enter Puget Sound. Most of that pollution comes from runoff. When water from irrigation and rain washes over our yards and streets, it collects fertilizers, pesticides, soap, oil, pet waste and other pollutants. This polluted runoff flows through ditches, storm drains and pipes into local waterways. Most runoff is not treated before it reaches streams, rivers, lakes and Puget Sound.

What can you do?

If each of the 4.5 million people living in the 12 counties that make up the Puget Sound region makes even one small change, the combined efforts will have a tremendous positive impact.

Never dump anything—liquid or solid—into a storm drain or drainage ditch.

Fix auto leaks right away and take any used fluids to a recycling center. Go to www.lhwmp.org to find the nearest location.

Take your car to a commercial car wash instead of washing it in your driveway.

Pick up pet waste regularly—in your yard and on walks—and put it in the trash.

Use natural yard products like compost and mulch. If you use chemical pesticides and fertilizers, follow the directions and use them sparingly.

Store and dispose of household chemicals according to the instructions on the label. Go to www.lhwmp.org to find disposal options.

Check out pugetsoundstartshere.orgfor more information about what is going on around the region and for ideas on how you can help protect Puget Sound.

About Betsy Adams

Betsy Adams is an Environmental Education Outreach Specialist for Kirkland Public Works. From working with volunteers along Kirkland’s creeks to hosting gardening classes in Kirkland’s neighborhoods, Betsy focuses on helping our local creeks, lakes and wetlands. She’ll share ideas how residents can make simple choices to prevent water pollution and to protect our local waterways.